Method and apparatus for taking samples of liquid media

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and a method for taking samples of liquid media from a main conduit said liquid media comprising the use of a rinsing medium, which through an inlet conduit is led to the immediate vicinity of a sampling point communicating with said main conduit and together with a sampling quantity is withdrawn from said sampling point via an outlet conduit. The sampling quantity instantaneously taken out from said main conduit being determined by corresponding regulation of the flow of said rinsing medium in said conduits.

[22] Filed:

[ METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TAKING SAMPLES OF LIQUID IVIEDIA [76Inventor: Arne Robert Lindberg, Slingeratan l8, Molndal, Sweden Nov. 3,1970 [21] Appl. No.: 86,453

i 30 Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 3, 1969 Sweden 5.15067/69[52] US. Cl. .;.....73/422 R [51] Int. Cl. ..G01n 1/14 [58] Field ofSearch ..73/421 B, 421.5 A, 422 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 3,046,791 7/1962 Dinteren ..73/422 R Mar;27, 1973 3,459,047 8/1969 Sumansky .73/422 R 3,437,452 4/ 1969 Bell et al. 2,682,277 6/1954Marshall et a1. ..73/42l.5 A

Primary ExaminerS. Clement Swisher Attorney-Albert M. Parker ABSTRACT Anapparatus and a method for taking samples of I 3 Claims, 4 DrawingFigures METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TAKING SAMPLES OF LIQUID MEDIA Thepresent invention relates to a method and an apparatus for takingsamples of liquid media, using a rinsing medium.

At present there exist considerable difficulties in automaticallysampling a small quantity of a representative sample for analysis in anindustrial process. Sampling equipment already known is often rapidlyblocked up by deposits and it is also difficult to keep the samplingquantity constant. Another drawback with known equipment is that thetransport time to the analysis equipment is often too long.

It has now been possible to overcome the drawbacks of the apparatusdescribed above by the following apparatus and method. According to thepresent invention a diluting liquid or a gas is used as the rinsingmedium and said rinsing medium is led through an inlet conduit to theimmediate vicinity of a sampling point, to be led together with asampling quantity through an outlet conduit, the sampling quantityinstantaneously taken out being determined by corresponding regulationof the flow of the rinsing medium in said conduits.

The method proposed according to the invention may be carried out withan apparatus comprising a housing in the sampling conduit through whichthe medium flows, said housing having an inlet conduit for the rinsingmedium and an outlet conduit communicating with the mouth of the inletconduit by means of a connecting conduit, the connecting conduit alsobeing provided with an inflow aperture communicating with the samplingconduit and located slightly above the mouth of the inlet conduit, saidaperture being so arranged that the rinsing medium flows at least partlythrough it during the sampling operation and that a mixture of thesample withdrawn and the rinsing medium is sucked out through the outletconduit.

The part of the housing projecting into the conduit is then suitably inthe form of a flow-divider, pointed on the downflow side so that theinflow aperture is shaped as a two-sided, semi-elliptical hole.

According to another suitable embodiment of the invention the inlet andoutlet conduits may be connected by conduits to a pump having two pumpheads, one of the pump heads being arranged to force the rinsing mediumto the inlet and the other pump head being arranged to suck the rinsingmedium mixed with the sample, out of the housing through the outletconduit.

In the following the invention will be further described with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 shows a general sketch ofthe sampling principle proposed according to the invention,

FIGzZ a section through a liquid conduit with a samplin g stationaccording to the invention inserted,

FIG. 3 an enlarged detail of the sampling station, and

FIG. 4 a view from the front of the sampling station arranged in theconduit.

The principle proposed according to the invention can be used withadvantage in the manner shown in FIG. 1. In this figure a processingvessel is designated 1. The processing solution is pumped by aconventional circulation pump 2 through a conduit 3 having a samplingstation 4. The sampling station 4 is in communication with a pump 5, forexample of the deplacement type, having two pump heads 6, 7. A rinsingmedium is forced by one pump head 6 to an inlet channel 8 in thesampling station 4 and the other pump head 7, which has a capacity equalto the rinsing medium plus the desired sampling quantity, sucks amixture of the sample and the rinsing medium out of the sampling station4 through an outlet channel 9 and forces the mixture to an analysisapparatus, not shown.

The sampling station 4 is shown in more detail in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 andconsists in principle of a housing 11 inserted through an opening 10 inthe channel 3. Said inlet 8 and outlet 9 are arranged in the housing andspaced from each other. In the embodiment shown in the drawings they arelocated substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of thechannel 3, the front ends 8a and 9a, respectively, opening into aconduit 12 connecting inlet and outlet. This conduit is slightlyslanting in relation to the longitudinal axis of the channel 3. Theconnecting conduit 12 has a twosided, semi-elliptical inflow aperture13, the part of the housing 11 projecting into the channel 3 beingshaped as a flow-divider 14, pointed on the downflow side. An inflowaperture is thus obtained which is not easily clogged. Since the rinsingmedium via the inlet 8 is supplied to the mouth of the inflow aperture13, the risk of clogging is almost entirely eliminated.

The rinsing medium may be either a liquid or a gas,

for example air.

The means proposed according to the invention has been successfullytested in sampling waste water, for example and drainage sedimentation,usingair, water and bichromate sulphuric acid as rinsing medium, and insampling lime while using hydrochloric acid as rinsing medium.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for taking samples of liquid media, using a rinsingmedium, from a sampling conduit through which the medium has flowed,wherein the sampling quantity instantaneously taken out is determined bycorresponding regulation of the flow of the rinsing medium, comprising ahousing mounted on and projecting into the sampling conduit throughwhich the medium flows, said housing having an inlet conduit for therinsing medium and an outlet conduit communicating with the mouth of theinlet conduit for withdrawal of a mixture of the rinsing medium with thesample, said inlet conduit being arranged substantially perpendicular tothe longitudinal axis of the sampling conduit, a connecting conduitarranged at an angle to both said inlet and outlet conduits providingthe communication therebetween, the connecting conduit having an inflowaperture for sucking a sample of the liquid medium from the samplingconduit, said aperture being formed in that portion of the housing whichprojects into the sampling conduit and being located slightly above themouth of the inlet conduit, said aperture being so arranged that therinsing medium flows at least partlytherethrough during the samplingoperation and so that a mixture of the sample withdrawn and the rinsingmedium is sucked out of the connecting conduit through the outletconduit.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inlet conduit and theoutlet conduit are connected via conduits to a double-operating pumphaving two pump heads, one of the pump heads being arranged to force therinsing medium to the inlet and the other pump head being arranged tosuck the rinsing medium mixed with the sample, out of the housingthrough the outlet conduit.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the part of the housingprojecting into the sampling conduit 5 is in the form of a flow dividerpointed on the downflow side.

1. An apparatus for taking samples of liquid media, using a rinsingmedium, from a sampling conduit through which the medium has flowed,wherein the sampling quantity instantaneously taken out is determined bycorresponding regulation of the flow of the rinsing medium, comprising ahousing mounted on and projecting into the sampling conduit throughwhich the medium flows, said housing having an inlet conduit for therinsing medium and an outlet conduit communicating with the mouth of theinlet conduit for withdrawal of a mixture of the rinsing medium with thesample, said inlet conduit being arranged substantially perpendicular tothe longitudinal axis of the sampling conduit, a connecting conduitarranged at an angle to both said inlet and outlet conduits providingthe communication therebetween, the connecting conduit having an inflowaperture for sucking a sample of the liquid medium from the samplingconduit, said aperture being formed in that portion of the housing whichprojects into the sampling conduit and being located slightly above themouth of the inlet conduit, said aperture being so arranged that therinsing medium flows at least partly therethrough during the samplingoperation and so that a mixture of the sample withdrawn and the rinsingmedium is sucked out of the connecting conduit through the outletconduit.
 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inlet conduitand the outlet conduit are connected via conduits to a double-operatingpump having two pump heads, one of the pump heads being arranged toforce the rinsing medium to the inlet and the other pump head beingarranged to suck the rinsing medium mixed with the sample, out of thehousing through the outlet conduit.
 3. An apparatus according to claim 2wherein the part of the housing projecting into the sampling conduit isin the form of a flow divider pointed on the downflow side.